STS.S27 - Maritime Technology
and Society in the Ancient Mediterranean Program in Science, Technology, and Society

Dr. Aaron Brody

Thursdays,
3-5pm, E51-361, MIT

Ancient Mediterranean cultures,
such as the Egyptians, Canaanites, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Greeks, Phoenicians,
Etruscans, and Romans are famous because their monuments, heroic tales,
and rich tombs capture our imagination and are distant roots of Western
traditions. In this seminar we will focus discussions on maritime aspects
of each of these societies learning about the technology of ancient seafaring
from the investigation of shipwrecks from both shallow and deep waters,
and trade and economy from examination of their cargo. Ancient port cities
will be considered as the prime areas of commerce and cultural exchange
in the Mediterranean, as well as innovations in harbor construction. Great
sea tales, such as The Odyssey, will be examined from a maritime perspective
to help us flesh out the lives and shipboard culture of these ancient
sailors. Field trips will include museum visits in the Boston area to
learn about the material culture of these ancient seafarers through the
artifacts themselves, and a trip to Robert Ballard’s Institute of Exploration.
We will study the robotic technologies developed at MIT and Woods Hole
and used in the investigation of ancient shipwrecks in deep waters of
the Mediterranean.

Students are expected to participate
actively in seminar discussions, based on weekly readings. Each student
will also make a presentation to the group on an ancient shipwreck or
nautical tale.

Aaron Brody is a lecturer
in Archaeology and Technology in the Program in Science, Technology, and
Society. His PhD (1996) is in Near Eastern Archaeology and Biblical Studies
from Harvard University. His field work has been conducted primarily at
Bronze and Iron Age harbor sites on the Mediterranean coast of Israel,
and primary research interests include the religious beliefs and practices
of ancient seafarers, deep water archaeology, and ancient maritime trade.